Shoulder rest for violins and the like



May 22, 1923.. 1,455,992

o. s. COLBENTSON SHOULDER BEST FOR VIOLINS AND THE LIKE Filei'June 2, 1921 INVENTUR.

g iolmnd Patented May 22, 1923.

UNITED STATES 5 ti E P A T SHOULDER BEST FOR VIOLINS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 2, 1521.

T 0 aZZ whom it may 001100172 Be it known that I, OLIVER S. Uonnnnrson,- ofthe city of Toronto, in the county of York, Province of Ontario, Canada, a citizen of the United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Shoulder Rests for Violins and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices interposed between a violin and the players shoulder to facilitate the gripping of the violin between the chin and the shoulder.

It is very desirable that it be made pos sible to hold the violin in position solely by the pressure of the chin thereon and without the necessity of hunching up the shoulder, as greater freedom is thereby given the left hand in moving to its different positions, and my object is to devise means whereby the violin may be so grasped which is adjustable to suit the requirement of any individual player or any particular instrument.

I attain my object by means of the constructions hereinafter described and illus trated in the accompanying drawings in which v .Fig. 1 is an end view of part of aviolin and my shoulder rest connected therewith;

Fig. 2 an end elevation of the rest,-partly in section;

Fig. 3 a side elevation, partly in section; and

Fig. 4 a side elevation illustrating a modification of the hinged connection between the plate and the shoulder rest and its support in the base. v

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, 21 is an ordinary chin rest, which is connected to the violin, adjacent the tail piece, in any ordinary manner. Forwardly of the chin rest, the shoulder-rest 22 is connected to the violin. This shoulder rest comprises clamps 1 and 2, a shoulder-rest support 7 connected with the clamp, and the shoulderrest proper 10 which is connected to the support. The clamp comprises two gripping members 1 and 2 adapted to engage the edges of the back and front f the violin and having threaded stems 3 connected therewith. The stems of each pair are right and left hand threaded respectively and are Serial No. 474,552.

engaged with similarly threaded sleeve nuts 4 of any ordinary type. By rotating the sleeve nuts, the device is clamped in po sition or released as desired. To one of the gripping members is coiniected a flat sleeve 5, which serves as a guide for the plate connected with the other gripping member, and also a guide for the shoulder-rest support 7. This support [its closely inthe sleeve, but is readily slidable therein. Means are provided for holding it in the sleeve extended to any position desired.

A preferred arran ement is to form a rack S on one edge ot the support, which is cngageable by a spring actuated dog 9 pivoted on the sleeve and normally tending to engage the rack.

The shoulder-rest proper comprises a thin plate 10, to which is secured, in any-suitable manner, a pad 11 of felt, or any sufficiently soft and flexible material. This plate is hinged to the support 7 so that its angle with reference to the back of the violin transversely to the latter may be varied. The connection is also such tha the plate may rock on an axis transverse of the violin.

In my preferred arrangement spring hinge ld is employed, which tends to rock the plate towards the back of the violin.

In Fig. 3, a spring and hinge are shown as formed of a single niece 1.4: of spring metal, but a separate hi e member and a separate bent coil spring 16 may be employed as shown in Fig. 1-, the spring being coiled above the pivot pin of the hinge pin and its ends connected respectively with the parts of the hinge.

It will be noted that the spring hing is connected with the support '7 by u of a pivot 17. he shoulder-rest is thus "tree to rock, as indicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 2 to enable the rest to accommodate itself to the users shoulder. The plate 10 carrying the pad is preferably less in length than the width of the narrowest instrument with which the device may be used, and an extension slide 18 is provided which may be adjusted so that its outer end lies adjacent the edge of the back the violin remote from the clamp. Preferably the edges 19 of the plate 110 are turned inwardly to form guides for the slide 18, and a set screw 20 is provided for holding the extension in any desired position. This extension is, of course, in eifect part of the plate 10. The end of the slide 18 is preferably provided with a pad 23, which contacts with the bark of the violin, and which is preferably slightly rounded so as not to interfere with the rocking of the plate 1.0 on the pivot 17. The shoulder rest is thus readily adjusted to fit small size violins, as well as the ordinary size and the still wider violas. It will he understood, of course, that the extension may be dispensed with it the plate 10 be made of a suitable length for the instrument on which it is used. By varying the extension of the rest support 7 the distance of the shoulder-rest proper from the back of the violin may be.

varied. thus also varying the angle of the rest to the back of the violin transversely of the latter.

It will be found that the shoulder-rest proper is With my construction readily adaptable to suit the requirements of the in dividual player.

It is of great importance that the shoul der rest be forward of the position of the chin rest, as the pressure of the chin is thus used to great advantage in holding up the finger board end of the violin. The chin pressure can thus be utilized with a very slight effort to balance the violin on the shoulder-rest so that it will be perfectly supported with practically no aid from the left hand of the violinist.

The position of the device relative to the chin rest and to the length of the violin may require to be varied to suit the requirements of the player and the instrument itself, and such adjustment is easily made owing to the clamp form of connection employed. The device is also easily connected and disconnected when necessary.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. A violin provided with a chin rest secured in the usual position; a clamp secured to the side of the violin forward of the chin rest; and a shoulder rest formed of a resilient plate secured to the clamp at one end, extending transversely of the violin forwardly of the chin rest and having its free end resting against the back of the violin.

2. A violin provided with a chin rest and shoulder rest constructed and arranged as set forth in claim 1 and provided with means for adjusting the angle of the rest to the back of the violin transversely of the latter.

3. A violin provided with a chin rest and shoulder rest constructed and arranged as set forth in claim 1 in which the shoulder rest is supported to rock on an axis transverse of the violin. v

4. A violin provided with a chin rest and shoulder rest constructed and arranged as set forth in claim 1 and provided with means for adjusting the angle of the rest to the back of the violin transversely of the latter, and for permitting a rocking movement of" the rest on an axis transverse of the violin.

5. A shoulder rest for violins and the like comprising a. clamp; a shoulder rest support carried thereby adjustable on the clamp to and from the back of the violin: a plate on said support forming a shoulder rest; a pad on said rest adjacent the support; a hinge connecting the plate and the support whereby the plate may rock on an axis longitudinal of the violin; and spring means tending to hold the distant end of the plate in contact with the back of the violin with which the device is used.

6. A shoulder rest constructed as set forth in claim 5 provided with means permitting the plate to rock also on an axis transverse of the violin.

7. A shoulder rest constructed as set forth in claim 5 in length.

8. A shoulder rest constructed as set forth in claim 5 in which the plate is provided at its free end with a contact pad holding it spaced from the back of the violin.

Signed at Toronto, Canada this 21st day of May, 1921.

OLIVER SQ (/OLBENTSON.

Mae an in which the plate is adjustable 

